Politics

2023 Presidency: South Set To Pick APC Ticket

Published

3 years ago

February 23, 2022

Indications emerged, on Tuesday, that the southern part of the country will likely pick the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the party zoned its chairmanship position to the North.

There have been agitations in the ruling party, the leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), socio-cultural organisations, political class, among others over which zone should produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor on the expiration of his tenure.

In the ruling party, there were reports that some stakeholders from the North were mulling the retention of the presidency in the region, come 2023. However, at the end of a meeting of 22 APC governors with President Buhari, it was agreed that the chairmanship position of the party should be zoned to the North.

With this, political analysts said barring any odds, the APC presidential ticket would go to the southern part of the country. Also, there is the likelihood that the ticket of the opposition PDP would go the same way.

The Southern Governors’ Forum had on September 16, last year, at the end of their meeting in Enugu, insisted that President Buhari’s successor in 2023 must come from the South in the spirit of justice, equity and fairness.

Daily Trust reports that aside the likes of former governor of Zamfara State, Senator Ahmed Sani Yarima and Governor Yahaya Bello, all other presidential aspirants in the ruling APC are so far from the South.

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APC chairmanship position goes to North

Fielding questions from State House reporters after their meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State said the party had agreed to swap the current vacant positions in the National Working Committee (NWC) between the northern and southern parts of the country ahead of the March 26 national convention.

By implication, the chairmanship position, which has been held by former governors John Odigie-Oyegun and Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State from the South, will now go to the North.

“We have agreed on a zoning formula for all the six geopolitical zones and essentially, we swapped. Northern zones will take positions that southern zones had in the last eight years and vice versa.

“So, it is a very simple, equitable and fair formula. We will now go back and consult at the zonal level, and look at the positions that are available and the process of the convention preparation will start in earnest.”

The Governor of Kebbi State and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Atiku Bagudu, who led the post-meeting briefing, while reacting to the question earlier, said the president enjoined them to employ consensus to fill the vacant NWC positions.

The PGF chairman said President Buhari cited the emergence of past national chairman through consensus to back his views.

Govs divided over convention timing

Governor El-Rufai said the APC governors were divided on the timing of the convention but that the matter had been resolved after their meeting on Monday.

He said: “We were divided over the timing of the convention…Some governors felt that we should put off the convention until we resolve all the congresses’ issues in some states. Some other governors held the view that we should wait until all this is resolved. And this is not borne out of any agenda or selfishness. It is just a realistic proposition to avoid us violating any laws or putting our party structures of elected candidates in danger.

“So, yes, there were differences in opinion about timing. Some of us are saying the constitution allows us to have a convention even if three or four states have unresolved issues, while others are saying no, let us finish all the reconciliations and then do the convention. After all, there is no time limit for the convention as long as we do it before the time for the primaries. So, that was the difference.

“This is what the media has called divided governors. In a democratic setting, there is no way you can have 22 governors plus the deputy governor of Anambra State agreeing on any issue. We can have differences. But after our meeting of last night, to deliberate on the proposal by the national caretaker committee, and our briefing with Mr President today, we are all on the same page.”

The brief meeting that took place at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa in Abuja was attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; and 19 APC governors as well as deputy governor of Anambra State who left the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the APC last year.

Zero-sum game ongoing in APC – Don

Dissecting the development, an Associate Professor of Political Sociology at, the University of Abuja, Dr Abubakar Umar Kari, said the zoning of the party position was not unexpected or surprising.

He, however, told one of our reporters that even with the development, the fate of the APC hangs in the balance, describing happenings in the party as “a zero-sum game.”

He said, “That APC, like its main rival the PDP, has adopted zoning in deciding where its next national chairman will come from, is not unexpected or surprising. That the position has been zoned to the North is equally in keeping with projections of most pundits and analysts. It is being widely expected that the party will pick its presidential flag bearer for the 2023 elections from the South because a Northerner, Muhammadu Buhari, has been on the saddle since 2015.

“It is clear that the APC has been beset by intense rivalry and infighting among its several blocs, tendencies and groups.

“The fate of the party hangs in the balance, because what is going on is a zero-sum game, and unless these groups manage to find common ground in the coming days, the future of the party is anybody’s guess,” he said.

Daily Trust

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Politics

PDP crisis: Two ex-Senate presidents lead fresh plot to oust Damagum

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Umar Iliya Damagum, Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

PDP crisis: Two ex-Senate presidents lead fresh plot to oust Damagum

Two former Presidents of the Senate, Chief David Mark and Dr Bukola Saraki are leading a fresh charge aimed at removing Amb. Umar Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The push by Mark and Saraki has received the backing of prominent stakeholders, including the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang and other political office holders elected on the platform of the PDP.

Similarly, former governors from the Northcentral zone who served on the party’s platform have also aligned forces with the group.

Rising from a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Thursday night, the party chieftains resolved to produce a candidate from the zone early 2025 to replace Damagum.

According to them, the move to replace Damagum with a substantive chairman from the Northcentral, has received the endorsement of key party stakeholders from the Northwest and the Northeast zones.

Among those being projected as potential candidates to take Damagum’s seat include Mark; a former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam; and a former House of Representatives member from Nasarawa State, David
David Ombugadu.

A communique issued after the meeting, said the stakeholders
reviewed the festering crisis in the party following the exit of the erstwhile National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.

Ayu lost his seat to the crisis triggered by disagreements over the emergency of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 general election.

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The crisis has continued to deepen with the apparent overbearing influence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike on the Damagum-led national leadership.

The Northcentral stakeholders argued that Damagum’s continued occupation of the office breached provisions of the PDP constitution.

The communique states in part, “The PDP’s constitution clearly states that succession of offices in the party at all levels is largely to the extent that any vacant position can be replaced by appointment from the zone, as per Section 47 (6) of the party.

“The party is guided by its constitution at all times. Therefore, the leadership of the party needs to rise up to the occasion to restore goodwill and cohesion in the party by making necessary sacrifices and compromises to restore confidence and cohesion in the party.

“It is in the light of this that the stakeholders of the Northcentral Zone appeal to the conscience and goodwill of our compatriots in other zones of the Northern region to restore the seat of the chairmanship of the party back to the Northcentral Zone to serve out its tenure.

“That the stakeholders must strive to build consensus to get the buy-in to the position of Northcentral zone.

“The Northcentral is united and will strive to preserve the PDP as a veritable platform for good governance in Nigeria.”

The meeting, which was attended by Governor Muftwang, also had former Governors Jonah Jang (Plateau), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Idris Wada (Kogi) in attendance.

Others at the meeting included the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro; incumbent PDP National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); and a former Information Minister, Prof Jerry Gana.

Also at the meeting were former senators Tunde Ogbeha, Philip Aduda, Suleiman Adokwe, Dino Melaye, Mohammed Onawo and Peter Jiya.

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Similarly, former Ministers, Labaran Maku and Sarah Ochekpe also attended the meeting. Other stakeholders like Simon Mwadkwon, Mrs. Margaret Icheen, Mr. Raymond Dabo, Maika Jiba, and Isa Dobi were also present.

Damagum, who is from Yobe State in the Northeast zone, emerged Acting National Chairman in March 2023 following the exit of Ayu who is from Benue State in the Northcentral zone.

Damagum was the PDP Deputy National Chairman (North) before his appointment as Acting National Chairman.

By virtue of Section 47 (6) of the party’s constitution, he ought to have relinquished the seat for a substantive National Chairman from the Northcentral zone where Ayu hailed from.

The Section reads: “Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from to serve out the tenure of the officer.”

Ayu was elected chairman in 2022 for a four-year tenure that should expire in 2026 before his tenure got truncated in 2023.

Several moves by critical organs of the party, including the PDP Governors Forum, the Board of Trustees (BoT) and the National Caucus to replace Damagum have been thwarted by the Acting National Chairman, allegedly with the backing of Wike.

Miffed by the development, the PDP Governors Forum, led by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, had, a few weeks ago, directed the Damagum-led leadership to convene the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting latest by February 2025.

The NEC meeting has suffered four postponements between August and November 2024, as Damagum, who is supposed to convene the meeting has been evasive.

The power to ratify any candidate chosen by the Northcentral zone to replace Damagum is vested only in the NEC.

PDP crisis: Two ex-Senate presidents lead fresh plot to oust Damagum

Politics

PDP expels South-East national vice chairperson over anti-party activities

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Trends Admin

PDP expels South-East national vice chairperson over anti-party activities

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oguduokwor Ward, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has officially expelled Ali Odefa, the suspended National Vice Chairperson of the party in the South-East, following allegations of anti-party activities.

Odefa had been suspended on September 11, 2024, by the ward executives, a move that was later upheld by the Federal High Court in Abakaliki. In its ruling on November 29, 2024, under suit number FHC/AI/CS/182/2024, the court affirmed the legitimacy of his suspension.

On Wednesday, Onyeka Ovuta, the Acting Chairperson of the PDP in Oguduokwor, announced Odefa’s expulsion in a statement. Ovuta explained that the decision followed recommendations from the party’s disciplinary committee, which confirmed the allegations against Odefa.

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The party announced that Mr Odefa by the virtue of his expulsion, “ceases to be a member of the party.”

Reacting, Mr Odefa laughed off the expulsion, stating that those who announced it were “frustrated charlatans”.

He said the expulsion cannot stand because “it did not take place in the ward but in Abuja”. He said those who made the announcement against him were not ward executives of the party.

“Let them come home come and announce it. Or is our ward now located in Abuja?”

PDP expels South-East national vice chairperson over anti-party activities

Politics

INEC recognises Sylvester Ezeokenwa as APGA national chairman

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Trends Admin

APGA National Chairman, Sylvester Ezeokenwa

INEC recognises Sylvester Ezeokenwa as APGA national chairman

Sylvester Ezeokenwa has been reinstated as the national chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

Ezeokenwa was reinstated by the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, December 17.

According to Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, the commission had been served with the judgement of the Supreme Court.

The apex court judgement with the Appeal No. SC/CV/824/2024 APGA & ANOR vs OYE & ORS was delivered on November 27, 2024.

The court ruled that Ezeokenwa should be recognised as the national chairman of the party.

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“In compliance with the judgement of the apex court, the Commission has restored Barr. Ezeokenwa as the Chairman of APGA and restored his name on our website accordingly,” the INEC commissioner said.

He also stated that the reisnstatmemt of the new chairman would automatically lead to the withdrawal of the recognition of Njoku as the national chairman of the party.

The court also upheld an earlier judgement of the appeal which did not confer any enforceable rights on Njoku.

If also awarded N20 million each against the appellaants.